Here's a link at Popcultureshock, telling how Wizard Magazine now has the blurb "The #1 Men’s Pop-Culture Magazine" on its cover.
Is this right? They're actually doing that?
I'm not a regular Wizard reader, but I've been known to pick up a copy every so often. The thirteen-year-old occasionally asks to get it if there's something of interest to her in it; she might get it more often if she had more disposable income, but she doesn't, so she doesn't. So no, we're not their main customer base, but we're not in the "Wizard is evil!" camp, either.
So not only does Wizard clearly lean toward the male point of view (which limits but does not exclude my potential interest in it), but now it's got a big "He-Man Woman Haters Club" sign on it?
There's a difference between simply not catering to a group and being outright hostile to their presence.
Somehow I find that an odd marketing strategy--to unnecessarily and consciously limit their readership in that way. Without the blurb, women who objected to Wizard didn't buy it, and women who didn't object--or who figured there was enough content of interest to them to make it worth buying--did. Now, being told "no girls allowed" before you even crack the cover? All this can do is reduce sales.
2 comments:
Huh. I dropped Wizard a couple years back during a cash drought, reasoning it was all news I got off the internet anyway and five bucks I could put towards actual comics.
But Wizard is like that friend that you used to be able to hang out with and talk about the Composite Superman or how awesome Blue Beetle was; until he became this guy that was obsessed with sex, kind of shallow, and a bit of a user. Sometimes, people grow in different directions. Well, people and magazines, I guess, but you get the idea.
I had a supscription to that magazine for a few years!! That's how I found Andi Watson's "Skeleton Key"! MAN! Have things changed!!
Here via WFA
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